ABSTRACT
Most current theories of text learning assume that comprehension results from the interaction between the propositional content of a text and the reader’s previous knowledge (Kintsch, 1998; van Dijk & Kintsch, 1983). However a full theory of comprehension must also take into account a number of contextual factors that influence the nature of the text–reader interaction. Among these factors is the way the study situation is designed, and especially the type of instructional objective or question that motivates the study of a particular text. In this chapter we examine the cognitive processes of answering questions from text, and their effects on comprehension. First, we review a number of assumptions concerning the cognitive processes of text comprehension. We emphasize the crucial role of study objectives, especially when reading lengthy scientific texts. Next, we examine the processes of question answering from memory and from text. In the third section we discuss three factors that influence the role of inserted questions in text comprehension: type of questions, metatextual cues, and individual variables (such as previous knowledge and study skills). Finally, we draw some instructional implications concerning the design of instructional study tasks that promote effective learning from text.
